Optical Spectra and Structure of CdP4 Nanoclusters Fabricated by Incorporation into Zeolite and Laser Ablation

CdP4 nanoclusters were fabricated by incorporation into the pores of zeolite Na-X and by deposition of the clusters onto a quartz substrate using the laser ablation-evaporation technique. Absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of CdP4 nanoclusters in zeolite were measured at temperatures 4.2, 77, and 293 K. Both absorption and PL spectra consist of two blue-shifted bands. We performed DFT calculations to determine the most stable clusters configuration in the size region up to the size of the zeolite Na-X supercage. The bands observed in absorption and PL spectra were attributed to the emission of (CdP4)3 and (CdP4)4 clusters with binding energies of 3.78 and 4.37 eV per atom, respectively. The Raman spectrum of CdP4 clusters in zeolite proved the fact of creation of (CdP4)3 and (CdP4)4 clusters in zeolite pores. The PL spectrum of CdP4 clusters produced by laser ablation consists of a single band that was attributed to the emission of the (CdP4)4 cluster.